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Crookedstar's Promise/Chapter 7
Chapter description :Crookedkit finds himself in a dark, damp, misty forest rather than in the nest of straw he curled up in when he fell asleep. He hears a cat calling his name. It is the orange-and-white she-cat who has visited him before and who he believes to be a StarClan warrior. She emerges from the undergrowth, asking him how he could leave his Clan. Crookedkit defends himself that he is going to the Moonstone, and questions as to where he is. The she-cat responds that he is dreaming, and asks the kit why he is going all the way to the Moonstone to speak with StarClan when she can answer all his questions right here in his dream. Crookedkit concludes that he must be right, and that she is indeed a StarClan cat. :The she-cat introduces herself as Mapleshade, and asks Crookedkit what answers he is seeking. Crookedkit replies that he wants to know his destiny, and Mapleshade tells him that everything that happens to him is part of it. Despairingly, Crookedkit asks if that included the accident and not becoming an apprentice. Mapleshade brushes her soft pelt against his, telling him sympathetically that while his path is a hard one, StarClan would never give it to a cat that wasn't brave, loyal, and strong, and reassures Crookedkit that he is special. Crookedkit asks Mapleshade how he is special, but Mapleshade states that she cannot tell him until he returns to RiverClan, adding that true warriors are loyal. She advises him to tell his Clanmates that he is very sorry for leaving, and that he will not do it again, so that they will know he is loyal. Crookedkit pipes up that he is loyal, and agrees to go back to his Clan. :However, as Crookedkit wakes in his straw nest, he begins to have second thoughts about returning as he remembers the way Rainflower and his other Clanmates had treated him. He decides to hunt before he does anything else, and scents a mouse. He begins to stalk the mouse, but as he does a heavy weight lands on him. It is a plump ginger tom, who pins Crookedkit to the ground. The tabby kit struggles against his attacker, but the tom is too heavy. Crookedkit lets himself go limp and as the tom relaxes his grip, he frees himself and spins to face his assailant. The light brown tabby growls that he'll shred the ginger tom. The tom, no longer aggressive, merely twitches his whiskers in amusement and reveals his white belly to Crookedkit, telling him to go ahead. He tries to claw at the ginger cat's belly, but he only manages to dig his claws into the thick, fluffy fur. :The ginger tom finally pushes Crookedkit away, telling him to give up. He says that the only thing Crookedkit will accomplish by trying to shred him is missing breakfast. The ginger tom informs Crookedkit that his name is Fleck. Fleck drops into a crouch and begins to stalk the mouse Crookedkit had been trying to catch previously. Fleck catches it, but gives it to Crookedkit, telling him that he looks like he needs it more than him. :Fleck notices Crookedkit's broken jaw, and mentions that he had kin who had a crooked jaw as well. He states that the cat, named Domino, had died of old age last leaf-bare, but that he had managed to cope with his crooked jaw and developed his own way of eating and hunting, and that he was one of the best mousers of the farm. Crookedkit starts to eat his mouse, and Fleck tells him to tip his head while he eats so the food falls to the side of his mouth where his jaw is straight, as Domino had used that technique. This new way of eating works much better for Crookedkit, and he thanks Fleck for the prey and for telling him how to eat it. :Fleck mentions that he has to catch prey for his sister Mitzi and her kits, and that later he will go watch the kits while Mitzi goes to fetch water. Crookedkit offers to help hunt for them and watch the kits, and Fleck accepts. Crookedkit tries to hunt a mouse, but is too loud with his tail and his breathing and the mouse escapes. Fleck gives him tips on how to catch a mouse. The ginger farm cat then hunts a vole and drives it towards Crookedkit, who gives it the killing bite with the strong side of his jaw as Fleck had suggested. Crookedkit is proud of making his first catch, excited to tell Oakpaw about it when he returns to RiverClan. He realizes how far away his brother is now, and thinks that he should leave the farm now, and that if he did he could be home by nightfall. However, he nonetheless exits the barn with Fleck to bring the kill to Mitzi. :Now outside, Fleck mentions that there are often farm monsters around, but there are none yet because it is still early in the day. He leads Crookedkit into the cornfield and to the dip in the ground where Mitzi makes her nest. Crookedkit wonders again if he should return home instead, but decides to follow Fleck, as he had promised the tom to help watch the kits and he also wants to know what farm kits are like. Fleck gives the vole Crookedkit caught to him, saying that Mitzi might be more accepting of him if he brings prey, as his sister is very protective of her kits and will likely be suspicious towards a stranger. :When Crookedkit meets Mitzi and gives her the vole, the black she-cat is in fact hostile at first, asking who he is. When she learns that he is a Clan cat, Mitzi queries as to why he has come, as there have not been warriors at the barn for a long time. Fleck explains that the Clan cat has come alone, in search of the Moonstone, and assures the black she-cat that Crookedkit is not a danger to them. Mitzi's kits introduce themselves to him as Soot, Mist, Piper, and Magpie, and ask him questions about the Moonstone. When Magpie begins to cough, Crookedkit suggests giving him coltsfoot for it, as that is what Brambleberry would have done. Fleck and Mitzi are surprised at this recommendation because they have never heard of using coltsfoot for a cough, but Fleck supposes that using the leaves is worth a try, and sets off to fetch them. :Meanwhile, Crookedkit offers to watch Mitzi's kits so that she can go fetch water. Mitzi, still wary of Crookedkit, is reluctant, but in the end trusts him with watching her kits and sets off to get the water. Crookedkit wants to teach the four kits to play moss-ball, but since there is no moss, settles on using the head of a cornstalk instead. He tosses the corn-ball to the kits, and they begin to play with it. Crookedkit is happy watching the kits play, and decides to stay at the farm rather than return home, thinking that he is much more useful here than in RiverClan. Characters Major }} Minor *Fleck *Mitzi *Soot *Mist *Piper *Magpie }} Mentioned *Oakpaw *Hailstar *Domino *Brambleberry }} Errors *Mapleshade is mistakenly described as orange-and-white. Notes and references Category:Crookedstar's Promise Category:Chapter subpages Category:Super Edition arc